The instant invention relates to business card cases, and more particularly to a business card case including a hinged plate for lifting a top edge of a business card upwardly when the case is opened.
Business card cases have heretofore been known in the art. The heretofore known business card cases include a bottom tray which is operative for receiving a stack of business cards, and a hinged cover which hingably closes over the bottom tray. The bottom tray usually includes a front lip which cooperates with the bottom wall of the tray to form a pocket into which the business cards are received and held. In this regard, the front lip usually extends upwardly for one third to one half of the height of the business cards. Removal of a business card from the case is accomplished by grasping the top card and sliding the card out of the pocket formed by the bottom tray and the lip. While the pocket effectively holds the business cards in position within the case, it has been found that it is difficult to grasp and remove the top business card from the card case without bending the business card.
The instant invention provides a business card case having a hinged lifting plate that lifts the top edge of an enclosed stack of business cards upwardly when the cover is opened, so that the user may easily grasp and remove the top card. Briefly, the business card case comprises a base and a cover which are hingeably mounted at their respective rear edges by a hinge pin. The lifting plate is pivotably mounted on the hinge pin. The base includes a shallow front lip which is operative for receiving the bottom edge of a stack of business cards. The plate includes a tongue portion which extends into the card case and a flange portion which extends outwardly and downwardly from the back of the card case. The cover includes a mirror and rear wall portion which extends downwardly adjacent to the flange. When the cover is opened, the rear wall of the cover engages the flange portion of the plate and moves the flange portion downwardly thereby pivoting the tongue portion upwardly to lift the top edge of the stack of business cards upwardly. In this manner, when the case is opened, the business cards are moved to an inclined position. The plate further includes two upwardly extending fingers which prevent the top edge of the cards from moving toward the rear wall and becoming caught under the edge of the mirror.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a business card case which more easily allows the user to grasp and remove a business card from the case without bending the card.
It is another object to provide a business case which moves the business cards to an inclined position when the case is opened.
It is yet another object to provide a business card case which lifts the top edge of the enclosed stack of cards upwardly when the cover is opened so that the top card may be easily removed.
It is still another object to provide a business card case with a hinged lifting plate that pivots the top edge of an enclosed stack of business card upwardly when the cover is opened.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.